Chicken Clear Soup Salt Free Recipe | Alni Pani Recipe

PC: Asma Dhanshe

A traditional kokani soup popularly known as ‘Alni Pani’ in kokani language and that translates to “water without salt”. This soup is preferably made with home grown organic chicken and homemade ‘desi ghee’. The spices are made fragrant by spluttering in desi ghee and then the chicken is cooked covered in fragrant water for several minutes. The resulting soup is so healthy and yummy that you can’t even guess that it doesn’t have any salt in it. This soup is an amazing remedy for cough and cold and relaxes those aching muscles of your sore throat in no time.

Chicken Clear Soup Salt Free Recipe | Alni Pani Recipe

Rote Recipe

Rote is a teacake made from semolina and eggs. It is a common jar snack in most of the kokni households. You can also make eggless or vegetarian version of this recipe by replacing eggs with butter milk.

How to make Rote:

Ingredients:

500 gms fine semolina
3 large eggs (or 1 cup buttermilk)
100 gms butter (at room temperature)
6 tbsp sugar (or as per taste)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp saffron strands
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
A pinch of salt
Slivered almonds for garnishing

Directions:

1. Break eggs one by one in the bowl of electric mixer then add but and sugar and mix well till the sugar is almost melted.

2. Now add semolina little by little and keep folding in gently with the help of spatula. Add baking powder and salt and mix well at low speed for 2-3 minutes.

3. Finally add cardamom powder and saffron and mix everything well.

4. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees for 10 minutes.

5. Meanwhile grease a baking tray and pour the mixture in it. It shouldn't be very thick layer as Rote rise while baking. Decorate with slivered almonds and raisins if you want.

6. Place the tray in preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes or till it turns slightly golden on the top.

7. Remove from oven and let it cool for at least 10 minutes then cut into squares. Store in a airtight jar or container.

Fenugreek Laddoo Recipe (How to make Methi Ke Laddoo)

One of the most popular Kokni sweets that's actually a health food. I remember that when I was young I didn't dare to eat these delicious treats fearing the bitter taste of fenugreek. But foolish I was! Because when I first tasted these heavenly bites I couldn't stop having just one. They taste just so good that I bet you will just fall in love with these laddoos. And to top it all they're actually good for your health! Methi (fenugreek) has amazing healing properties. It strengthens your joints and highly recommended for those having backbone issues. Fenugreek also helps in losing weight and purifies the blood. Anyway there is not just fenugreek in this recipe we have fresh coconut, nuts and edible gum (dink) and a little homemade pure ghee which makes it a perfect and complete food. Methi laddoo are best eaten during winters as the have warming effect in body but just like all other sweets you can also enjoy this one round the year.

So here is the Recipe of Methi Ke Laddoo:

Ingredients:
2 cups freshly grated Coconut
1 cup Jaggery
100 grams Edible Gum
3 Tbsp Fenugreek Powder
2 Tbsp Semolina
3 Tbsp Pure Ghee
2 Tbsp slivered Almonds
2 Tbsp slivered Pistachios
1 Tbsp Raisins
1 Tbsp chopped Cashew Nuts
1/2 Tsp Saffron
2x1" Cinnamon Sticks
1/2 Tsp Ginger Powder (optional)

Directions:
1. Dry roast the semolina in a small pan for 5-6 minutes on medium to low heat and keep aside.
2. Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pot and fry the gum till it puffs up completely. And then remove in a plate.
3. Now roast the nuts in the same ghee till just fragrant. Remove in the same plate as gum.
4. Now add the coconut in the same ghee and cook with stirring. Add cinnamon stick and saffron and ginger powder if at all using (I don't like it much though).
5. After some time (2-3 minutes) add chopped jaggery and keep stirring till melts completely. If required add teaspoon of pure ghee. When mixture is almost dry then add roasted semolina, fried nuts, raisins and gum and mix well and turn off the burner.
6. Let it cool for some time then make laddoos. You can store them upto 3 weeks in  a airtight container.

Introduction

Hello everyone! 😊

Well, why I have created this blog? What's so special about kokni cuisine? Or do I really love cooking? Mmmm.. the answers are I just want the world to know about my homelands.. Kokan! I have one more blog about Kokan tourism and culture and here it's another one presenting Kokni Food.

So,

I am here with an aim to introduce authentic Kokni/Kokani food to the world, in sha Allah!

Our cuisine is one of the best and of the healthiest cuisines in the word but sadly we are not showing much interest in cooking traditional foods and instead prefer fast foods and Chinese dishes just to save some time (well, that’s taking a toll on our health though! But who cares).

Alhamdulillah I’m being raised well and being taught Islamic and traditional values along with what’s needed to move in this modern world. I am blessed with a talent of cooking and baking alhamdulillah and so is I can cook many Kokni traditional dishes and I actually love cooking and eating Kokni food. Our recipes are such that you can enjoy even sweets while you’re on a diet as many of the kokni sweets are made sugarfree and you will surely feel guilt free if you are eating in moderation. (I’m sure you’re now excited to know the secrets of Kokni cuisine).

Our soups and curries are healthy and best for digestive system. Even pickles and chutneys are made keeping heart health in mind. Some Kokni beverages have amazing cooling effect on your body and help remove toxins from your gut. Traditional way of making rotis and other regular dishes is such that it gives and amazing stretch to your muscles (and that’s the reason why our grammas never needed to take a gym membership). The use of fresh coconut, balanced use of herbs and spices helps improve your hair and skin texture. (Food choices may be one of the reasons why Kokni people are well built and have fair skin tone, as they say. Check Wikipedia!)

In short, Kokni Cuisine is one of the best yet under rated cuisines in the world. It hurts when I see so much unhealthy food around and people are not aware of many other healthier options that can go much easier on their pockets as well.

So, I’m here to represent my Kokan through our traditional Kokni Cuisine. I hope I will come up with most authentic scrumptious kokni recipes, the ones passed over by grandmas for generations. In sha Allah! Please wish me all the best.